Automatic gate



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AUTOMATIC GATE Filed May 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l Clarence E. .Sfevens IN VEN TOR.

C. E. STEVENS AUTOMATIC GATE Sept. 27, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1953 Clarence E. Stevens INVENTOR.

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m DR WW ww mm x, V, m. *N i Q Q\ 7 Q\\ Q N\ m t m 9w 3 Sept. 27, 1955 Filed May 4, 1953 United States Patent AUTOMATIC GATE Clarence E. Stevens, Battle Mountain, Nev.

Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,712

3 Claims. (Cl. 3945) This invention relates generally to gate structures and pertains more particularly to an improved form'of automatic gate.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of automatic gate which incorporates swingable platform ramps for automatically operating the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of automatic gate which incorporates a minimum number of parts in its construction and yet which operates in an efiicient manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved form of automatic gate provided with a track and guide means for the gate assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the gate assembly;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the gate assembly showing one of the gates in open position in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing details of construction of the gate assembly on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 of Figure 1 showing further details of the gate assembly;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken along the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 3 showing details of the linkage actuating mechanism, the open position being shown in dotted lines; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the links and lever actuating system.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally the coextensive plat form members which are bifurcated at opposed ends thereof to provide the spaced legs 12, the free ends of these legs being pivotally secured to the supporting structure 14 by the hinge mechanisms 16. With most particular reference to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the top surfaces 18 of the platform are of plate-like construction which are provided with depending reinforcing flange portions 20 at their opposite sides and with depending plates 22 at their adjacent ends. The inner sides of each of the legs 12 are provided with depending flange portions 24, these being interconnected by the flange 26 in the manner shown.

The supporting structureis provided with a well or recessed portion 28 so as to provide clearance for the swinging adjacent ends of the platforms, the platforms being normally urged to an upraised position, as shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 4 wherein the main or top portions of the platforms are disposed above the surface of the supporting assembly. To maintain the platforms in this normally elevated position, the well 28 is provided with a pair of supporting posts 30 having the spring plate 32' extending therebetween to which the leaf spring 34 is secured, as by the U-bolt assemblies 36. Directly above this spring, the under surface of the platform is provided with an inverted channel 38 and the free ends of the springs are provided with rollers 40 so as to allow the opposite ends of the springs to spread when the platform assemblies are urged to a downward position wherein the under surfaces of the leg portions 12 are in engagement with the surface of the supporting structure 14.

The adjacent ends of the platforms are slightly spaced in the manner shown, and an elongated gate track 42 is disposed therebetween with its opposite end securely fastened to the supporting structure in any suitable manner. Guide bracket assemblies 44 are secured to the supporting structure at opposite sides of the platform adjacent their correlated ends, and these brackets include the leg portions 46 and 48 which are slightly spaced and disposed on opposite sides of the gate members 50 and 52. These gates may be formed of a continuous length of suitable material and include the lower frame portions 54, angular side portions 56 and the vertical inner side portions 58 as well as the top portions 60. The lower frame members 54 are provided with depending bracket ears 62 which receive the rollers 64 therebetween whose arcuate peripheral surfaces embracingly engage the track 42 so that the gates are slidable therealong from the solid line obstructing position, as shown in Figure 2, to the open position shown in dotted lines in the same figure.

The inner end plate 22 of each of the platforms are interconnected by means of the tie rod bolt 66 which extends through both of these plates and are provided at their opposite threaded end portions with retaining nuts 68 and associated washers for maintaining the coil springs 70 in concentric relation to the bolt between the washers and the plates 22 in the manner shown in Figure 3. These tie rod bolts effect a connection between the two platforms so that they will move in unison, and since their path of motion'at their inner adjacent ends defines an arc, there will be no binding between the two assemblies inasmuch as the coil springs on the tie rod bolt permit the slight shifting necessary between the plates in their arcuate pivotal motion.

Two brackets 72 and 74 are disposed in longitudinally spaced relation on the track 42 in depending relation thereto and it will be readily appreciated that a pair of these brackets is provided in conjunction with each of the gates 50 and 52. A bellcrank assembly 76 is pivotally secured by the pivot bolt 78 to bracket 72 and this bellcrank assembly includes the divergent leg portions 80 and 82 secured to the lever portion 84 in rigid relation therewith and also includes the opposite end lever portion 86 in the manner shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6. An actuating link 88 is pivotally secured, as by the fastener 90, at one end to the lever portion 84 and the opposite end of this link is provided with a pivot bolt 92 whose free end portion is threaded and extends through one of the platform plates 22 and is provided with a retaining nut and spring assembly 94 for allowing the slight shifting between the plate 22 and the lever 88 during pivotal motion of the associated platform. The lever portion 86 of the bellcrank is connected through a pivot fastener 96 to one end of a push link 98 whose other end is connected through the pivot fastener 100 to an intermediate portion of the gate actuating link 102 whose adjacent end is pivotally secured to the bracket member 74 previously described. A second gate actuating link 104 has one of its ends pivotally connected by the fastener 106 to the free end of the first gate actuating link 102 and the other end of the second actuating link is pivotally secured by the fastener 108 to a diagonal brace bar 110 on the associated gate.

' character is desirable.

gate construction itself need not take the particular con- The operation of the crank and lever system will most clearly be seen from a study of Figure 5 wherein the open position of the linkage is shown in dotted lines. It will be appreciated that downward pivotal movement of the platform members will effect a vertical downward motion of the pivot bolt 92 to the dotted line position shown to carry therewith the corresponding portion of the actuating link 88 which will effect an oscillation of the bellcrank assembly imparting a compressive force on the push link 98 rotating the gate actuating links 102 and 104 to the substantially colinear position shown. This, of course, will effect movement of the associated gate assembly along the track 42 to a position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 wherein the gate assemblies are in the open or non-obstructing positions.

It will be manifest that the above described gate assemblies will find their most important use in adaptation to driveway entrances or the like wherein a gate of this It will be appreciated that the figuration as shown, but may be solid, or of more closely knit framework construction, or the like. The particular construction shown and described constitutes a very simple and economical as well as effective mechanism as will be readily appreciated. The weight of the gate assemblies will be sufficient to provide proper engagement between the rollers 64 and the track 42 so as to prevent the rollers from jumping such track whereas the additional support derived from the bracket assemblies 44 will maintain the gate assemblies in proper upright position throughout any portion of their movement. Since the gate opening force imposed upon the gate assembly by the second actuating link 104 is in a downward direction as well as to the side, opening motion on the gate will tend to further maintain the rollers in proper engagement with the track.

The leaf spring 34 may be of suflicient strength so as to prevent downward pivotal motion of the platform assemblies until a sufficiently heavy article is moved upon the platform. In this respect, it will be preferred that the springs will react only to the passage of vehicles, such as automobiles, thereover.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

I. An automatic gate assembly comprising a generally U-shaped platform having a pair of spaced legs interconnected by a bight portion, a supporting structure including a recessed portion, the free ends of said leg being pivotally secured to said supporting structure with the bight portion overlying said recessed portion of the supporting structure, said bight portion having a depending flange along its edge remote from said legs, a track secured to said supporting structure disposed adjacent to and in parallelism to said depending flange, a gate supported by said track and movable therealong, said gate presenting an obstruction to passage along said platform, means connected to said platform and said gate for moving the latter along said track and to a non-obstructing position when the platform is depressed, spring means disposed within said recessed portion and engaging the under surface of said bight portion for normally maintaining said platform in a raised position, the first mentioned means comprising a system of links and levers disposed wholly below the top surface of said platform when the latter is in the depressed position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first mentioned means includes a bellcrank pivotally secured to and depending from said track, an actuating link pivotally secured at one end to said flange and at its other end to one end of said bellcrank for rotating the latter upon vertical movement of said platform.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said system of links and levers comprises a bellcrank pivotally secured to and depending from said track, an actuating lever pivotally secured at its opposite ends to said flange and one end of said bellcrank respectively, a pair of gate operating links pivotally secured together and pivotally connected at opposite ends to said gate and said track respectively, and a push link connected between the other end of said bellcrank and one intermediate portion of that gate operating link connected to said track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,380,077 Oster May 31, 1921 2,308,642 Bruce et al Jan. 19, 1943 2,595,515 Swift Apr. 29, 1952 

